Western Hills Church Of Christ, Temple

Series:  THE STORY Scripture:  Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:1-6; Romans 4:18-25; Genesis 22:13-14 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: In this message, the story of the life of Abraham is told with a focus on understanding how its various parts are interconnected and ultimately point to Jesus. The narrative highlights Abraham's journey, starting with God’s promise to him and his wife, Sarah, to have a child despite their old age, leading to the birth of Isaac. Abraham demonstrates the importance of faith and obedience, even when God's commands, such as the call to sacrifice of Isaac, seem incomprehensible.  In this message we find encouragement to trust in God's provision, drawing parallels between Abraham’s story and the sacrifice of Jesus, portraying the theme of God using imperfect people to fulfill His greater purpose.

Series:  THE STORY Scripture: Genesis 1-3 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: Scott discusses the beginning of the biblical story from Genesis, focusing on themes of creation, the goodness of God's world, and humanity's fall from grace due to sin. Key questions addressed are the origins of humanity, the purpose of existence, and why the world is flawed. The sermon also emphasizes that God's ultimate plan is to restore creation through salvation, as symbolized by the cross.

Scripture:  Luke 24:13-27 (The post-resurrection account of Jesus's encounter with two men on the road to Emmaus.) Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: NOTE:  Due to technical issues we were unable to record the entire message.  At the 11:46 point in the recording, we lost the                                    stream.  There will be a bit of silence before the second part of the recording begins.  In the second section, Scott                                        discusses the text, Luke 24:13-27.  We apologize for the inconvenience.   This is an invitation to explore the Bible's story, emphasizing that it’s an epic narrative rather than just a set of rules or history. You will have opportunities to dive deeper, including a class on campus called "The Beginner's Guide to the Story" and another initiative called "Beyond the Sermon." Scott reflects on how he received his first Bible as a child, and how his understanding of it has evolved over time. He describes the Bible as a unified story about Jesus, even though

Scripture:  Matthew 16:18 Speaker:  Chris Stephens, Lead Minister, Avenue G Church of Christ Summary: In this sermon, the Chris reflects on the nature and purpose of the church, focusing on Matthew 16:18. He emphasizes that the church is not merely a building or a social club but a "called-out" group intended to influence the world positively. By using the term "eklesia," Jesus indicates that the church is a community meant to be active and impactful, breaking down barriers and confronting societal issues. His emphasis is that the church's strength lies in its foundation on Jesus as the Messiah, and it is designed to withstand challenges and continue its mission regardless of worldly obstacles. Ultimately, he encourages believers to actively embody the church’s mission in all aspects of their lives, influencing the world through their faith and actions wherever they go day by day.

Think about the responsibilities you have encountered throughout life, starting from small tasks to significant roles.  Each of these emphasize the importance of taking responsibilities seriously.  Particularly think about the responsibility given by Jesus to his disciples which includes each of us to spread the gospel.  This mission, entrusted by Jesus, is not just about living a good life but also about actively speaking and sharing the message of Jesus with others.  Pray for opportunities to share your faith, build trust with others, and invite people into the Christian community. Finally, take this responsibility with passion, knowing that Jesus is always with you in this mission.

Scripture:  Mark 15:25-41 Speaker:  Grant Perkins Summary: Death is the ultimate interruption in life, affecting both the short-term and long-term, often leaving people disoriented and angry.  Even Jesus was not exempt from the interruption of death, as seen in the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection are detailed. The key message is that Jesus's resurrection turns death from a permanent interruption into a temporary one, offering hope to believers. You will find encouragement by holding onto the reality of Jesus's victory over death, especially when faced with our own experiences of loss.

Scripture:  Mark 10:46-52 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: This message emphasizes the importance of seeking not just restoration but true transformation in life, using the story of Jesus healing the blind man Bartimaeus from Mark 10.  Bartimaeus' healing symbolizes both physical sight and spiritual insight, illustrating a deeper need for change and commitment to follow Jesus. True discipleship requires embracing the transformative power of following Jesus fully, even if it leads to hardship. The message concludes with a prayer for boldness and clarity to follow Jesus wherever He leads.

Scripture:  Mark 10:13-16 Speaker:  Callaghan Mitchell, Summer Intern Summary: In this message, Callaghan discusses a biblical passage where Jesus is interrupted while teaching, highlighting how Jesus welcomed children despite cultural norms that undervalued them. He emphasizes that Jesus values those who come to Him like children, with nothing to offer and without hesitation. He encourages the congregation to examine their own attitudes, whether they lean towards pride or unworthiness, and to approach Jesus with a childlike heart. Then He concludes with a call to avoid judgmental behavior and to embrace grace, remembering that "the ground at the foot of the cross is level."

Scripture:  Mark 10:17-22 Speaker:  Grant Perkins Summary: In this message,Grant discusses the theme of "inconvenient truths" and how they impact our lives, particularly focusing on the story from Mark 10:17-22. He explains that inconvenient truths are those realities that make our lives more difficult or uncomfortable, using personal examples to illustrate this concept. Grant highlights the story of a wealthy man who approaches Jesus, seeking eternal life, and is told to sell all his possessions and follow Jesus, which he finds difficult to accept. The message emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing the things in our lives that interrupt our relationship with Jesus, whether it be wealth, career goals, or hobbies. Grant's challenge is to look at our own lives and through prayer ask to discover and overcome these interruptions, emphasizing the ultimate goal of following Jesus wholeheartedly.

Scripture:  Mark 8:22-38 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: The message explores the concept of life's interruptions and their profound impact on our perspectives and actions. Drawing from personal experiences and biblical narratives, Scott highlights how unexpected events, like the assassination of JFK or the Challenger explosion, leave lasting marks on individuals. The focus then shifts to Mark 8, where Jesus heals a blind man in two stages, illustrating a deeper lesson on spiritual perception and understanding. Peter's reaction to Jesus' prediction of his suffering and death is examined, emphasizing the difficulty of aligning personal expectations with divine purposes. Ultimately, the message calls for a committed discipleship that embraces sacrifice and service, encapsulated in the story of William Borden, who lived by the principles of "No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regret."

Scripture:  Mark 5:21-34 Speaker:  Grant Perkins Summary: This message highlights Jesus’ deliberate action to see and acknowledge the unseen, drawing a parallel to the need for individuals to do the same in their communities. Grant encourages the congregation to make intentional efforts to see and acknowledge those who feel invisible, whether at work, school, church, or other places. Following Jesus example, we must be willing to welcome interruptions in our routines to make others feel seen and valued. The call to action is  to identify someone in your life who feels unseen and to make a deliberate effort to acknowledge and connect with them. This will require prayer to have boldness and awareness to carry this out, but the reward of seeing the transformative impact of making others feel seen is truly a blessing for your life.

Scripture:  Mark 6:30-44 Speaker:  Grant Perkins, Preaching Intern Summary: The sermon begins with Grant reflecting on his experience as a fraternity chaplain, highlighting the challenge of fulfilling promises due to various constraints like time and resources. The central theme is the tendency to use "I don't have enough" as an excuse to avoid stepping into needs and ministry opportunities. The message draws a parallel with the story from Mark 6:30-44, where Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, emphasizing that Jesus's provision redefines what's possible. The disciples' initial doubt is contrasted with Jesus's ability to provide abundantly. The message encourages believers to trust in Jesus's provision and not let perceived shortages hinder their willingness to serve and meet needs, urging them to embrace ministry opportunities boldly and rely on Jesus to provide.    

Scripture:  Mark 5:1-20 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: The "Interrupted" series continues, focusing on how Jesus handles interruptions by going to places others avoid. Using the story from Mark 5, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed man in a graveyard, the sermon illustrates how Jesus willingly enters dark and scary places to bring redemption and renewal. Note that Jesus redeems our past, renews our strength and mind, and restores our identity, even when we feel overwhelmed by our sins and failures. The story demonstrates that no matter how dire our circumstances, Jesus has the power to transform our lives.  The application for us is to let Jesus interrupt our lives and make all things new, with the hope and renewal that Jesus offers.

Scripture:  Mark 4:35-41 Speaker:  Grant Perkins Summary: The speaker shares a personal story about his family's experience with fostering a child named David, who was eventually moved to an unsafe placement despite their prayers. This event led him to grapple with the notion of unanswered prayers and feeling abandoned by God. He relates this to the biblical story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4, where the disciples, in their fear, doubted Jesus' care and ability. The sermon emphasizes that fear often interrupts faith, leading us to believe that Jesus either doesn't care or isn't able to help. However, the true lesson is that Jesus cares and is able, regardless of whether every storm is calmed. The speaker concludes by encouraging the congregation to remain faithful and obedient, using their past experiences and the reality of eternity to strengthen their faith amidst fear.

Scripture:  Mark 3:20-35 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary:   In this message, the theme of interruptions in life continues, emphasizing how Jesus’ ministry often faced unexpected disruptions. Using the Gospel of Mark, the message explores how Jesus was misunderstood by both his family and religious leaders, who labeled him as insane and demonic. These labels are seen as attempts to fit Jesus into preconceived notions of who God is and how He should act.  Notice how Jesus redefined relationships, calling those who do God's will his true family, thus challenging societal norms and labels. This redefinition calls followers to embrace a broader, inclusive concept of family and to wear the label of Jesus as Lord, which transcends all other social and cultural divisions. Our call as followers of Jesus is to answer the call to embody Jesus’ radical love and acceptance in everyday interactions.

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12 Speaker:  Leland Sawyer, Missionary to Uganda Summary: This message focuses on Mark 2, highlighting three key elements: the friends, Jesus, and the paralyzed man. It begins by noting Mark's direct approach, quickly establishing Jesus' authority over spiritual and physical realms. The friends' unwavering commitment to bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus, even breaking through a roof, demonstrates their faith. Jesus, recognizing their faith, forgives the man's sins, emphasizing the importance of spiritual healing before physical healing. The text challenges us to consider our own roles in leading others to Jesus, emphasizing the importance of faith, commitment, and discipleship in bringing people closer to Christ.

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39 Speaker:  Grant Perkins Summary:  This message is the first in the series, INTERRUPTED, using texts in Mark about the interruptions Jesus experienced during his ministry.  How Jesus deals with these interruptions offers us an example of how we can go about dealing the interruptions in our lives.  Defining the difference in distractions and interruptions is the beginning point to understanding how to follow Jesus example of interactions with those people and those events that interrupt us. Jesus embraces the interruption in this text, demonstrating the importance of prioritizing people and their needs over personal plans.  There is a great need for us to adopt practices in our day to day lives that make us more interruptible, like Jesus, to better serve and love others​.

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-20 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: This message emphasizes that while we often try to fight our own battles, it is God who truly fights for us. As the series on  Ephesians concludes, the encouragement is  to understand and live out the truth that the enemy is not people but the spiritual powers of evil. Paul instructs believers to put on the whole armor of God, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace. He warns against the extremes of "truthless grace" and "graceless truth," advocating for a balanced approach that loves and serves others without compromising on truth. The sermon calls for an awakening to these principles, urging the church to be a force of peace and righteousness in a divided world.     4o

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:1-9 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: The apostle Paul's teachings on household codes are revolutionary, as they call for mutual submission within families, countering traditional hierarchical norms.  Scott encourages children to obey their parents not just as a cultural norm but as an act of honoring God. Moreover, he challenges parents (or guardians) to nurture their children without provoking anger, emphasizing the importance of leading with love, transparency, and forgiveness. Applying these principles in everyday life, both in family dynamics and professional relationships, fosters a community centered on mutual respect and service in Christ.

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:21-33 Speaker:  Scott Meyer Summary: In this message, Scott discusses Paul's teachings on submission. He emphasizes the need for understanding and patience when approaching this sensitive topic, especially for those who have experienced challenging marriages. Paul's message in Ephesians 5 is that living under the Spirit's influence includes mutual submission and respect within marriages. He adapts the household codes familiar to his audience, advocating for a model where husbands love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church.